Severian as a student

Jeff Wilson · 06 Jun 2008, 07:43 · from 2008-June.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:43:36 -0500
Subject: (urth) Severian as a student
In-Reply-To: <003701c8c74f$1d503a40$c3d04a0c at rclackey.stic.net>
References: <003701c8c74f$1d503a40$c3d04a0c at rclackey.stic.net>
Message-ID: <4848EAA8.2010803 at io.com>

Roy C. Lackey wrote:
> Jeff Wilson quoted and wrote:
>>> The doeskin/manskin pouch thing is not as easily dismissed as most of the
>>> other mistakes. Doeskin and manskin have very different connotations. It
> is
>>> almost impossible for me to believe that Wolfe made that mistake. It is
>>> almost equally difficult for me to believe that dear Dorcas would sew a
>>> pouch made from human skin to house the most celebrated religious icon on
>>> the planet.
>> Why not? The greatest sacrifice to honor the greatest sacrifice.
> 
> There are two basic types of sacrifice -- those made voluntarily and those
> in which the subject of the sacrifice is a reluctant participant. The
> overwhelming majority of sacrifices involving human skin are of the second
> kind.

So are the overwhelming majority of crucifixions, yet the cross is still 
  a positive symbol for Christians.


> Theories that equate the Conciliator in any meaningful way with Christianity
> are fundamentally flawed. 

I'm comparing them chiefly in the capacity of people to honor their 
highest beliefs in ways that don't necessarily scan for people of other 
beliefs.

> The latter is about the sacrifice of a god for
> the world and the people in it. Severian the Conciliator sacrificed the
> world and the people in it, while he got to survive, sitting on the beach in
> Ushas, writing his second memoir while watching the girls go by and
> otherwise enjoying the pampered pastimes of a petty god.

I don't know that Severian would necessarily be accepted as the Sleeper 
in that distant time; he would seem to have no Conciliator abilities 
left, and the ability to walk the Corridors of Time doesn't seem 
accurate enough to take advantage of impressing people in a particular 
place and time. He's a leftover vessel, empty of power except for his 
compelling narrative.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >

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